Late at the Museum's Largest Arts and Music Line Up to Date.

August Late at The Museum Looks at NZ waterways in decline and research looking to reverse the damage, featuring Late At The Museums largest arts and music line up to date.

Dance, architecture, planning and marine science will each take their place in this month's LATE at the Museum panel discussion, united by a common theme - water.

Curated by the University of Auckland, this LATE is looking at New Zealand's waterways - how they are being threatened and what researchers in these disciplines are doing to arrest the damage and preserve them for future generations.

Panellists for the August LATE (Thursday 4 August) include marine scientist Professor John Montgomery, ecologist Dr Majorie van Roon and dance researcher Dr Alys Longley.

Just a couple of decades ago New Zealand's fresh water supplies seemed endless but now pockets of the country face shortages in times of peak demand and increasingly water testing is uncovering deterioration in the quality of our fresh water sources.

In conversation with moderator Oliver Driver the panel will discuss how they are raising awareness of the vital resource and its limitations.

The discussion will also look at how the design of cities and buildings can be managed to avoid downstream impact and specific initiatives focusing on reversing the deterioration of the Hauraki Gulf marine environment.

Music for the evening has also been curated by the University of Auckland and features a line-up of artists who work in sound, music, electroacoustics, art and installation performing throughout the museum's spaces.

Performers for the night include DJ Otto (Gavin Hipkins), digital artist Sean Kerr, Clinton Watkins, Andrew McMillan, Greg Malcolm, Ivan Mrsic, Tsubasa Kawamoto and Joyce Campbell.
Music and art for LATE at the Museum have been curated by Andrew Clifford, acting director of the Centre for New Zealand Art Research and Discovery.

Smart Talk
Professor John Montgomery
Professor John Montgomery is the Chair of Marine Science at The University of Auckland, is on the Board of Antarctica New Zealand and is Director of the Leigh Marine Laboratory. Leigh Marine Laboratory has a new Interpretative Centre based at Goat Island, 90kms north of Auckland. Unlike other education centres around the world, Leigh is the only one attached to a marine reserve. The centre will play an important role in helping people to understand the importance of the marine environment. John is also currently working with Environment Waikato, the Department of Conservation and Auckland City to reverse deterioration of the Hauraki Gulf marine environment.

Dr Marjorie van Roon
Dr Marjorie van Roon is a New Zealand ecologist currently holding a Senior Lecturer position in The University of Auckland's School of Architecture and Planning. Water has been a central element in Marjorie's career, the focus of which has evolved from marine ecology to coastal planning then water quality research, integrated management of catchments and harbours, and latterly in water sensitive urban design. She has a holistic understanding of the interplay between land and water, and between human activities and water body responses. In both her research and her teaching Marjorie emphasises avoidance of effects on aquatic systems through design and management. In her recently completed doctoral thesis Marjorie provides guidance on the design, construction and maintenance of residential areas in a manner that she demonstrates avoids impacts on downstream waterways.

Dr Alys Longley
Dr Alys Longley is a Lecturer in Dance Studies at The University of Auckland. Her creative work includes choreography and performance writing including poetry and artist books. Her dance work has an interdisciplinary focus and is often concerned with site and community. She is also interested in issues around inclusive dance practice and education. Alys' forthcoming project is entitled Water in the Sustainable City: An Art-Science Collaboration for Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. This research will aim to answer the question: How might an arts-science performance collaboration play a role in fostering awareness and understanding of water issues in Auckland City, thus motivating ecological stewardship and creating experiences that enhance the quality of life in our urban landscapes?

Great Music
Gavin Hipkins
Opening the night will be DJ Otto (Gavin Hipkins). Gavin is Head of Undergraduate Studies at Elam School of Fine Arts, but is better known for his epic photographic series such as The Homely and The Colony, and more recently his combination of photographic processes with found objects and images. His first short film is currently screening in the New Zealand International Film Festival.

Sean Kerr
Sean Kerr is one of New Zealand's leading digital artists and is a Senior Lecturer at Elam School of Fine Arts. He has developed significant projects for Artspace, Sydney, City Gallery, Wellington, Te Papa Museum of New Zealand, Wellington, Seoul Biennale, Seoul Museum of Art, SCAPE Biennial, Christchurch and the Govett Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth. Sean's current research investigates the emerging area of new media technologies from the perspective of their interactive potential. His findings are incorporated into a series of creative practice projects including internet art, installation and sonic works.

Clinton Watkins
Clinton Watkins is a sonic and visual artist. He is known primarily for his moving image works which dwell on often overlooked visual phenomena, such as the giant cargo ships that quietly drift in and out of the Auckland harbour. Clinton recently completed his Doctorate of Fine Arts at Elam School of Fine Arts.

Andrew McMillan
Andrew McMillan, is Director of the New Pacific Music Ensemble (npme), and co-founder of the improvised music community VitaminS. Andrew has produced sound design for theatre and played with many local and international luminaries, including Richard Nunns and Marilyn Crispell. He is currently studying towards a Masters in composition at The University of Auckland's School of Music.

Greg Malcolm
Special Guest Greg Malcolm is a creator of customised multi-guitar performances. He has toured extensively throughout New Zealand and abroad, performing in galleries and festivals in Holland, Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, Slovenia and England.

Ivan Mršić
Ivan is a Croatian sound artist who also works in video and painting. He performs with sound sculptures, including modified kitchen sinks and buckets. Ivan is currently studying towards a Master of Fine Arts at Elam School of Fine Arts, and provided sound for et al.'s recent exhibition at Michael Lett gallery.

Tsubasa Kawamoto
Tsubasa Kawamoto is currently studying for a Master of Music, specialising in Composition. He works with XBOX Kinect technology to create live, improvised performances of body-triggered electronic music and likes to work with a variety of performers. His influences include electroacoustic, contemporary and indigenous music, and his recent work combines artificial and organic sounds including birdsong and water, which he has used as a symbol of treatment or healing.

Joyce Campbell
Joyce Campbell is an interdisciplinary artist, and a lecturer at Elam School of Fine Arts. Joyce has a great affinity for water and the natural environment. In 2006 Joyce visited the Ross Sea as part of Creative New Zealand's Artists to Antarctica programme. Inspired by her visit, Joyce created the Last Light series of photographs. In this LATE floor talk, Joyce will discuss her latest work Te Taniwha - an ongoing project, drawing on the mythology, history and ecology of Waikaremoana and its many tributaries and outlets. It traces the search for two great, serpentine water species: the Taniwha and the giant longfin eel.

Tickets for LATE are $20. University of Auckland student and staff offer - two tickets for $20.

http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/late